


Not Our Son

by littendeservesbetter



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Anime), Pocket Monsters: Sun & Moon | Pokemon Sun & Moon Versions
Genre: Alolan Family, Big Brother Ash, Canon Compliant, F/M, Kinda, Oneshot, Pokemon, Pokemon Sun and Moon, angst but not really, ash better return to alola again or i’m throwing hands, baby lei, burnet and kukui please adopt ash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-16
Updated: 2020-09-16
Packaged: 2021-03-07 01:33:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 748
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26488732
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/littendeservesbetter/pseuds/littendeservesbetter
Summary: It’s been almost a year since Ash had left Alola, and now it’s time to say hello again. Kukui and Burnet are delighted. A little bit too delighted, and that didn’t feel right.—Aka, me being salty at the lack of time Ash spent with the Professors and wanting to write a sad-ish one-shot about them feeling guilty for loving Ash too much.Based off Pokémon Journeys Episode 37, the day before Ash returned to Alola!
Relationships: Burnet-hakase | Professor Burnet & Satoshi | Ash Ketchum, Burnet-hakase | Professor Burnet/Kukui-hakase | Professor Kukui, Kukui-hakase | Professor Kukui & Satoshi | Ash Ketchum
Comments: 7
Kudos: 116





	Not Our Son

**Author's Note:**

> AHHHHHHH ASH AND LEI ASH AND LEI ASH AND LEI BIG BROTHER ASH!!!!!!!  
> i’m so salty that the professors and ash spent so little time together so here’s this  
> also, did i write this at 12am as procrastination for my other fic? yes. yes i did  
> anyway hope y’all enjoy!! kinda short but that’s fine

Really, it didn’t feel right to be this happy.

Ash had called them just yesterday, excitedly blabbering on and on about visiting them and all his Pokémon and all his friends at the Pokémon School and bringing his friend Gou with him. The hyperactive boy wouldn’t stop until Kukui had interrupted, laughing merrily. He promised to pick them up at the airport after their flight.

Ash had given them the largest beam, Pikachu chirping enthusiastically as well. Right after the call had ended, however, Burnet burst into tears.

“Honey? What’s wrong?” Kukui asked worriedly, a hand being placed on her shoulder. The woman continued sobbing, rubbing her eyes continuously as she tried to calm herself. Lei — the little newborn sitting in her lap — looked up, giggling innocently.

“He’s coming. He’s coming back. We get to see him again,” Burnet choked out, tears streaming down her face. It was only then that Kukui realised how those were tears of joy. His expression softened into something unexplainable as he nodded, wrapping an arm around his wife.

“I know...” he whispered, eyes shining. “It’s great, I know.”

Burnet hugged her child a little tighter, relishing in his little gurgle. “And this little one can finally meet his big brother,” she said, heart thumping at the thought of the two together.

It felt so, so selfish to think that. To act as if Ash was _her_ actual son, not Delia’s. To pretend that he was her own flesh and blood. It was so damn _selfish_ of her and yet, Burnet couldn’t help it. Pseudo-son or not, she knew she had no right.

Her upset expression must’ve given it away, because Kukui nodded softly, a faraway look in his eyes. “Yeah... big brother Ash. Y’think he’ll mind being called that?”

“I hope not,” Burnet mumbled, feeling her husband squeeze her shoulders comfortingly. “I want him to know that he’s basically family to us, an actual son. Because I would adopt that boy any day, but I don’t want him to feel...”

“Like he’s being forced into the family?” Kukui finished, his voice barely a whisper. Burnet nodded meekly, tears threatening to spill out again. She hiccoughed briefly as memories of Ash and Pikachu filled her brain.

“I’ve missed Ash so much,” she cried, shaking her head. “I want to tell him how much I love him. That’s too much, isn’t it?”

“No,” Kukui replied instantly, “I love him too. Like you said, he’s like a son to us. I’ve missed him too... the house gets lonely, even with all his Pokémon here.”

The two glanced up at the loft where four Pokémon were, sleeping soundly. They were going to be in for quite a surprise tomorrow. Silence fell between the couple, the two of them watching as Lei clapped and giggled occasionally. The sight brought a smile to both their faces.

”It feels wrong, doesn’t it?” Kukui whispered. Burnet looked at him with a sad smile, agreeing quietly.

”He’s not our son...”

”But he’s as good as.”

The woman sniffled, nodding again. If her next words wasn’t enough to describe how she felt, then the tears were.

”I haven’t known him as long as you did, but I can’t imagine life without that boy anymore. It’s selfish, I _know_ , but I want... I want Lei to grow alongside Ash. I shouldn’t be talking, I have my own kid and Delia has hers,” Burnet said, her chest rising and falling heavily.

”He can still be in our family. We’re- we’re his Alolan Family. Not by flesh and blood, but by heart,” Kukui told her.   
  
“Pffft.” The little laughter made Kukui raise an eyebrow. “When did my husband get so poetic?” She started giggling, Kukui rolling his eyes at that. The couple fell silent again, quietly drowning in thoughts about their pseudo-son.

“We should probably go to bed too. Who knows how long this one might take to fall asleep,” Kukui said after some time, standing up. Burnet followed suit, letting him place a small kiss on her forehead.

“T-tell Ash how happy I am tomorrow when you pick him up, alright?” Burnet requested, the slightest quiver in her voice. Kukui smiled, the familiar fond look filling his eyes.

“Of course.”

Burnet smiled, the action lighting up her entire face. ”I can’t wait.”

And Kukui just had to grin back. “Neither can I.”

So you could imagine the rush of emotions Kukui felt when Ash introduced him and Burnet as his Alolan Family to Gou.


End file.
